Veritas Christian boys basketball coach Doug Bennett already had seen Topeka Cornerstone’s height advantage before Thursday night’s game.

Having lost to Cornerstone by nine in a preseason tournament, Bennett thought a new strategy to stop the Saints’ two tall post players might work better.

Veritas’ 1-3-1 zone worked well Thursday at the East Lawrence Recreation Center, but the key to the Eagles’ 65-51 victory was 6-foot-4 sophomore Mark Randtke.

“I just came to play today,” Randtke said. “I was kind of sick the first time we played them, but today I knew that I had to be aggressive.”

Randtke was, equaling Cornerstone’s first quarter output by himself. He scored 13 of the Eagles’ 21 points, but his physical play against the Saints’ 6-7 Bill Davenport early was just as crucial.

Davenport scored just one basket before picking up his second foul midway through the first quarter. With Davenport on the bench, Randtke had only to worry about 6-6 Dan Synder in the middle.

While Synder scored all 11 of his points in the first half, Randtke tallied 17 of his game-high 28 points during the first two quarters.

Randtke, who outscored the duo 28-20, also controlled the glass, grabbing 14 rebounds.

The Eagles (2-3) also relied heavily on the outside play of guards Kirk Long and Casey Woods.

Veritas Christian's Mark Randtke grabs a rebound against Topeka Cornerstone. Randtke had a game-high 28 points and 14 rebounds in the Eagles' 65-51 victory Tuesday at the East Lawrence Recreation Center.

Long, a freshman, scored 13, and Woods, a sophomore, added eight points.

“Our guards really provided a spark,” Bennett said, “by knocking down some outside shots and not allowing their defense to collapse on our big man.”

That was evident at the start of the third, when the Saints rallied.

Cornerstone closed the gap to 34-32 with 6:04 to play. Woods countered with a layup, and Long scored seven points during a 13-3 run.

The spurt all but sealed any chance the Saints had at a rally, and just to make sure, Randtke slammed the door closed in the fourth, adding 11 points.

“I’ve been playing against those guys my whole life,” Randtke said of Synder and Davenport. “But we really played well against them today. In a way, I really stepped up to their challenge.”

Veritas Christian 65, Topeka Cornerstone 51

Cornerstone 13 15 7 16 — 51

Veritas 21 12 14 18 — 65

Cornerstone: Christopher Blysma 3, Dan Synder 11, Joey Mollenkamp 1, Samuel Loganbill 10, Josh Hilger 18, Bill Davenport 8.

Veritas: Ezra Brooks 2, Kirk Long 13, Casey Woods 8, Ben Dunbar 5, Matt Steinle 8, Michael Kay 1, Mark Randtke 28.